Memory Eternal - Archbishop Job

I feel as if I just lost a dear friend….perhaps a dear grandfather. Archbishop Job of Chicago, fell asleep in the Lord this morning.

I didn’t realize how dear this man was to me, but I feel as if a part of me has died with him. What a deep loss. He visited our parish just 10 months ago with all the Bishops of the OCA. Wyatt was able to serve with the Bishops, and I remember my heart just filled with joy upon seeing him here in Colorado at our parish. It was so good to visit with him afterward, and I felt as if it brought him joy to see us as well. I believe he made some kind comment about being glad we were happy in Colorado, but that it was a “loss to the Midwest”. I remember asking him to remember me and our family in his prayers, and he asked for us also to remember him in our prayers. What a joy and gift that day was to our family.

Archbishop Job was the first Orthodox clergy member I ever met, as he was teaching the catechism class at Holy Trinity Evangelical Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. The parish in Indianapolis was moving as a church into the Canonical church and Bishop Job at the time was doing a mass catechism for the entire parish. I was in the midst of my own conversion as well, and remember sitting in the back on the side room off the sanctuary listening intently to this white haired man in a black robe. I don’t remember much about what he taught at that time, but I do remember thinking that this man, truly, was a Man of God.

Upon moving to Greenville and beginning our long journey into the Orthodox Church, Archbishop Job helped us even while in Greenville. I was able to connect an old professor at Greenville College with Bishop Job, and the future Greenville College Bible and Culture Trips started visiting the Orthodox Cathedral and Bishop Job on their trip to Chicago. Following one of these trips, Bishop Job came down to Greenville, and taught one of Prof. Rick McPeak’s Religion Classes one night, and discussed iconography. I remember it was right after the return of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God to Russia, because Sdn. Joel Wilson was traveling with him at the time and brought the video to play for the class. Four students from that class as a result of their visit with Archbishop Job and his visit to the college, started attending the Readers services we held in our house during that time.

Over the course of the 7-8 years of knowing him, our face to face encounters were limited, but I had a deep connection with him…..and perhaps it wasn’t till today and hearing of his loss, that I realized how deep that connection really was. Sdn. Luke Beecham, whom spoke often with the Archbishop, would relay how the Archbishop would ask about our family, how we were doing, and assure us of his prayers. How the Archbishop remembered us, or even had the time to pray for us, I cannot fathom, but I am assured that it was through his prayers we were guided safely home.

What a great loss to our church. Selfishly…what a great loss to our family.

My busy and distracted life came to a screeching halt today. May we all be found sober and vigilant, ever expecting the coming of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ! May the Lord God strengthen our church, our clergy, and every one of us to pick up this great work of the Kingdom, for which the Archbishop so diligently gave his life.

Memory Eternal Archbishop Job!

Step 10 - On Slander

8. Fire and Water are incompatible; and so is judging others in one who wants to repent. If you see someone falling into sin at the very moment of his death, even then do not judge him, because the Divine judgement is hidden from men. Some have fallen openly into great sins, but they have done greater good deeds in secret; so their critics were tricked, getting smoke instead of the sun.

10. Hasty and severe judges of the sins of their neighbor fall into this passion because they have not yet attained to a thorough and constant remembrance and concern for their own sins. For if anyone could see his own vices accurately without the veil of self love, he would worry about no one else in this life, considering that he would not have time enough for mourning for himself, even though he were to see a whole River Jordan of tears streaming from his eyes. I have observed such mourning, and I did not find in it even a trace of calumny or criticism.

17. Do not Condemn, even if you see with your eyes, for they are often deceived.

The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence....

"I have seen men poor and needy in virtue, with words not clever but rather humble, vague and stumbling, call shamelessly and persistently from the depths of a desperate heart upon the Heavenly King, and by their violence force His inviolable nature and compassion."

St. John Climacus - The Ladder of Divine Ascent

The door of the Kingdom is already open

We are in the first week of Lent and these words from the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete that we celebrated last night are necessary for me. May we remain sober and vigilant....ever expecting! Enlighten my eyes oh Lord that I sleep not in death, lest mine enemies say, I have prevailed against him!

My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near, and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and be watchful, that Christ our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things.

Seeing Christ's healing temple opened, and how health Streams from Him to Adam, the devil suffered and was stricken. Then he wailed as if in mortal danger and to his friends raised a bitter howl: what shall I do to the Son of Mary? The Bethlehemite is killing me, Who is everywhere present and fills all things.

Like coals of immaterial fire, burn my material passions, and kindle in me now, O Apostles, a longing for divine love.

Smash the passionate idols of my soul, as you smashed the temples and pillars of the enemy, O Apostles of the Lord, consecrated temples.

Christ became man and called to repentance robbers and harlots. Repent, my soul! The door of the Kingdom is already open, and the transformed pharisees, publicans and adulterers are seizing it ahead of you.

Beneficial to me?

"These tortures are very beneficial to me.  Just as wheat cannot arrive at the granary before it is cleansed from the chaff, so my soul cannot enter into paradise if my body is not humbled by tortures beforehand."

- The Holy Martyr Agatha (251)

   Commemorated February 5th

The path of descent is essential to the path of ascent.  One must go down in order to be raised up.  One must die in order that one might truly live.  One must embrace suffering as a fountain of life.  For it is Christ who revealed this path to us, and in so doing reveals the path of salvation to us if we have eyes to see.  When the urge to avoid pain arises we must walk into the fire, for it is in the fire that we are purified of our passions, and the scales slowly peel back from our blinded eyes and we are illumined to reality....the reality that Christ is in our Midst......He is and ever shall be!